Rotating ore-furnace



- 'a sheets-she't'l J. M. THOMPSON. lRotating Ore Furnace. No. 236,648. Parentedjan; 11,1881..

J. M. THOMPSON. Rotating Ore Furnaoe.

No. 236,648. Patented Jan. 1i, |881.

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J. M. THQMPSN Rotating Ore Furnace.

No. 236,648.. Patentea1an.11,18's|.

siren Sterns 'Feinste-1 JAMES M. frHoMrsoN, oF sAN FnANctsoo, CALIFORNIA.

enteritis one-Fonseca sPEcrmeA'moN foi-ming pas. di Letters, Piment No. 236,648, detect January 11, 1881.'

'l Anplicutioniled November 2l, 1876. I y I l Y Tof all whom it may conce-rn:

Beltkuo'wn that i, JAMES Monson THOMP- SON, ofthe city and county of Sen Francisco, Stnteot Californie, have invented certain Improivements in RotaryLre-Fnrnaces,ot which the following is n speciiicntion.

My invention relates to rotating ore-fur-v nace's'for roasting and treating ores and like substances; and it consists, first, in the cominitiation of the double revolvin g cylinder havingn tine-space intermediate between its Walls, with e. tire-chamber and tirehacl; at one end oththe'oylinder 'provided with exit-dues nud nu -Ore-cInMnher at the opposite end of the cylinder having nn ore-feeding chute, the whole being y arranged on e. tilting plattform and forming n. 'retnrntlne nrnece having the on.- pacity to progress the ore ntnny desired speed; second', in the combination, with the rotating o ife3cyli'nder, of n hollow -nuxiliary cylinder secured toned within thereceiving end ci' the said orecylinder, for preventing nu excess of heut inthe point where the ores :rre'intro` dn'cedinto the ore-cylinder; third, in the peculiarconstruction of end manner of support` ing .the dreht-ick, incombinntion with the orecylinders and exit-fines; i'onrth, in the construction of the ore receiving and separating chambers et the discharge end ot' the double rotating ore-cylinder; fifth, in the combina.- tion, with the kexternal Ijoints of an ore'furnace, oi' nplnte or sleevecovering the joint.A andA haringen nir-channel connected to a. pump or.pressure-blower,by which a. constant pressure oi' air, exceeding that within the furnnce.-A is maintained within the nir-channel, preventing escape of gases;'in constructing .the enter cylinder ot n. double rotating cylinder ore-furnace with n brick lining, and e layer oiplesteroipnrs placed between such liningy nud the/cylinder to better resist the action oi' the `hot gases; inconstructin g the double cylinders with n. gradually increased o'r divergingshape toward one end, to allow of the in ser-tion of n. inutile or short protecting-cylinder; :1nd,i`nrthe1, in the combination ot' e. lon gitudinziliy-tilting platform with endore and tire chambers mounted thereon, theme-cylinder connecting/such ehanibers,eud guide and hea-ring wheels for supporting andrctating the cylinder, ali as fully hereinafter explained..

The following description of the constrain tion and operation of my invention, is sufficiently full and clear to enable any person skilled in the art to make' and use or apply the samefreference being had to the accompauying drawings, and the figures sind letters of reference thereon, m airing part of this specif Figure 1 of the drawings is an elevation, in perspective, of my improved rotating furnace mounted over the ore and dust chnmhers. Fig.

v2 is averticni longitudinal section throunl the b .5

center ofthe cylinder' and the tire-chamber.

Fig. 3 is a. plan view of the .ore-end separatingchambers with the tops removed. Figeis an end elevation, in section, ofthe orehnnd seperating chambers, the' section 'being taken through the line amr, Fie. 3.- Fig. 5 is a. front view ot' the furnace end .that contains' the fireboX, the chimney-tine, andthe chute for dis,- chnrging the ores from thel cylinder into the ore-chamber. Fig. G is n. central section ot the parts shown in Fig, Fig. 7 is n buck view lofthe tire-hack removed from the fire-chalutier.

Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views taken through the line y y, Fig. 2, showing end views oi' the cylinders at. this'point. Figsrl() nud 11 are detail views of the annular pack-v ings employed et' the ends of the outer cylinder. Fig. 12 is n. longitudinal section through a porthe .longitudinalproiectionsand 1,.,he'inclines tion oftheinnerand outercylinders, showing and' diagonal projections to lift endA drop the.

ores and cause'them to progress through the furnace. Fig. 13, is n detail end'view of the bricks which form ,the lining n-nd projections within the cylinder.4

The out.ide portion of the cylinder A is. made of iron, and its interior is lined with tireclay or other substance capable ot' resisting the notion of the heet and gases of Vcomhustion. Between the shell'and the liningis interposed a. layer ot' plaster-of-pnris. o r similar nonheat-conduoting substance, to further protect the metal ot' which the cylinder is composed, and to more perfectly economizennd retain the heat'within it;` rihis constrilction is shown et. a. a, Figs. .8 land 9. r

` vN "Vithiu the cylinder A isarrnnged n cylinder, B,ot` inetal or some suitable refractory' materiel, and composing the ore-cylinder, or

the one receivingand progressiugthe ores with- .iu 1t. Itis supported wit-hin the Aouter cylinder, A, by the radial ribs or supports b b,] igs.

l 2, 8. and 9,so that a continuous fire-space is 'brought into contact with the ores.

The iiue K4, ruiming to the chimney, opens .out of the furnace at the oppositeend froiu the 'rechamben and isprovided with 4a suitable damper. This fiueconnects, as shown, with the space between tho cylinders, at the point where itjoins the interior of the inner or ore cylinder, and any excess of the products of combustion Inot required to be passed into the ore-cylinder can be drawn off through this tlue by opening or partly opening its damper. This inner cylinder, B, is made either plain or corrugated upon its inner and outer surfaces, for the purpose ofincreasing its strength and the better to withstandthe expansive action ofthe heat, and its inner surface is provided with longitudinal lprojections or ribs c c, placed at a suicient distance apart, with a series of diagonal or inclined grooves or depressions, d'd,within the spaces between the projections cc. The grooves are arranged on spiral 'or neal ly spira-l lines, by which the grooves in one space alternate with those in the ,next space, so that they form a regularv series of inclines within the cylimler,.rln|ning from one yend to he other. These grooves or inclines operate to progress the ore when being raised. and dropped by the projections c c, whilefithe cylinder rotates, by constantlydroppingit from the bottom of the inclines to the top of their opposite ones, and their inclination may be varied in degree., so as to progress the ores at different rates of speed through ditl'e'rent portions of the cylinder.

The two cylinders, with their tire-spaces and projectionsand inclines,and the boxes orchambers C C', are mounted upon the pivoted tilt ing table or platform D, which is provided with the friction-rollers and bearing-wheels E e, for supporting and rotating the cylinder or furnace. This platform has an elevatilig-screw, d2,forineliniug thefurnace in either direction, so as to lessen orincrease the stecpness of the inclines d and retard or accelerate the progress of the ores through the cylinder more or less, as desired; also, where it is desired to'roast or treat the ore in charges, the furnace, after' the ore has been received and distributed throughout its entirelength, can then be inclined in the necessary direction sutticiently to entirely counteract the action of the inclines d and retain. the one-within ituntil roasted, and meanwhile the feeding ofthe ore into the furnace would be stopped, when, by restoring the furnace to its level position, or incliningit in the opposite direction, the oro will then be progressed through and discharged, when .the

Vbeprovided with a gasket furnace will be ready to receive and roast an other charge. l i

The ends of' the cylinder A' that. cuter the fire boxes or chambers G C are surrounded by a metal plate or slee-ve, F, secured to the face yof the wall.` This sleeve has a channel 'or airspace, f, provided with a pipe, y, through which air from a pump or condenser is forced under pressure, and the channel is kept filled withl air having` a greater pressure than the gases' within' the furnace.

loosely within the sleeve F, so that it` may revolve freely. The rimrlof the sleeve can also or packing of asbestus or other closed around the cylinder by elastic metal TheA cylinderend fits suitable material, which is kept v' flanges or springs. This sleeve F, withuits air-v space, constitutes the means for preventing the escape or leakage of4 gases and vapors from the inside of the rotating cylinder around the joints. rlhe air forced into the pipe g,and constantly escaping around the edge of the plate, is at a greater pressure than thegases within, and thus'forms an air-packing impervious to smoke and wipers. This device can also be employed. to prevent the escape of smoke and gases from any other joints, as do'ors or draftopenings in furnaces Iwhere the pressure or density of the gases within at any time exceeds vthe atmospheric pressure.

' I am aware. that thcmoving Ajoint of a'revolving-cylimler ore-furnace has been covered by a hollow collar supported by the stationary part ofthe joint, and having its interior connected with the smoke-stack or uptake, so as to draw olf the gases issuing from the joint; but with my device there is acurrent into the oroe-furnacqthroughthejoint, and by the pressure upon the joint the gases are prevented w-holly'from passing,r through the same.

The fire box or chamber U, that contains the gratesurface-G, is shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 5, and (i. In it -the end of theore cylinder B is covered andprotected by the wall or fire-back H, Pwhich .arrests the passage of the heat and gases from the ore-cylinder, and deflects them into the discharging passages or conductors I I', leading to the'orechambers or to the chimney-flue. This wall is isolated from theside of the lire-chamber, exceptat the points where the supporting-walls' i (see Fig. 7) are piaceri, so that it is surroundedpn the sides and back by the heat and gases from the furnace. lt mayor may not have a circular flange or rim, k, and is coucaved on its face or side next theend 'of the ore-cylinder Il. The paswith a suitable valve or damper, by closing' which all the products of combustion can be diverted into the orc-chamber, it' desired.

The end of the ore-cylinder .l5 is continued a proper distance beyond the end of the outer supporting-cylinder, A, and the outside corru- Ivo gatious,'if any are used, are filled in or removed-t0 forni a circular rim of slightly less size-than the space within the ange k of the iie-bacli,'so that-the space between the two cylinders land the interior space of the ore-cylinder are divided and separated from each o ther. 'An opening is niadc through the fire-- bach-and' also through the outside wallet' the tire-box, into which a conica-l tube or lookoutpipe-,12%, Figs. 2 and G, is secured, and which '2. passes across the nre-chamber, to enable the attendant to look within the interior of the otre-cylinder. 'The draft in the duesl l prot'ents any fumes from passing out of the pipe R, which is assistedliy the conical. form ot' the pipe, but creates a draft inwardly through such` pipe. In practice, the end of the lookoutpipewisgenerally closed by a wooden. plug, `which can he easily removed' when the attendantdesires to look within the-ore-cylinder. ln

J thisairangement of my continuous or double cylinder lthe ores are fed into the end oi' the ore-cylinder, through the chute M of the cham-4 ber Ci, ,and are progressed in a gradual inanner, .with the flames or hea-ted air and gases,

toward the hottest end oi the cylinderand in` the saine-direction with the draft. .,-.Anyj .part of the interior.orc-cylinder, B, may be formedv of materials haring diereut 'lient-.conducting powers, 'or it may be inade V graduallythinner towardits discharging end, softhatjth'e heat can be still further increased upon ,the ores 'as-they. arc progressed through tlievi'ui'nace.-

- Another means oreslis shown in Figs, 12, 5,.and o, oy the inclined openings i yr in the cylii'ider B and the opening s in the lire-hack H, by which any desired portion of the flames and heat can bc ,adniit'tedldiroctly rollio ores within the cylinder 13.# fv- 1nthe-treatment. 'ot' sonic kinds `ot` ores in my improved-turnace itiuagiT he founddesirable orrnccessary to still further protect the ores from-:too great heat at; the point wherethey .are iiiist introduced into'tlie orc-cylinder, andforthispurpose I arrange and combine an auxiliaryni'uiilc or short cylinder, B', with-` viii tlieend tot" theore-cylinder, and supported in position-:hy the Iradial ribs orposts b bl in suclignianncr that the end of the inutile ex-v tendsjheyond thcinncr cylindeiy-B, and through to the-Side 'il the chamber Cf, and aspace all around-gitis lornieda ior the passage -oi'ithc iiaincs'a's they return around the end of the interior cylinder, 12-,andl into the space within il'. Thusthe ores.,on` being introduced into th'e li'iider,-a re;iiot at iiist brought into direct c ,'ntact,wilhfthe products of combustion from the tirefchjainber,ibutasthey pass' through the inutilejdii-aisegradually heated before-being vbijouglit vinto contact 'with the flames and pro;

Y gre sedi-in to tliehotter part ot the. orc-cyli nder.

*hciiiany',case-necessary or desir" Should able repro est ,i-lie-ores entirely fron)` direct contact-with the dames and .products Ofcom- Ihustion, this auxiliary incide B' can be exot' incre-'rising'thc'heat on the tended to connect with the'main interior cylvlin'der, B; orywhat is equivalentlie cylinder porting-cylinder, A, and through to the side ot' the chamber G', so as'to prevent the passage of the products. ot combustion into it, and which will then pass around it into the chainberC and out through the iiue KU inodiicat-ions are clearly-shown in Figs. 14 and 15, respectively, of the drawings.`

which thc :n'ixiliziry niufie org cylinder B is in diameter, so asfto afford suicient'space for. the iia'incs to circulateand pass around and returnI into the ,cylinder Il; also, the en d of Ithc cylinder A next the 'fire-box U is similarly the irec passngeof the' llames and products 0i' combustion into it and around tliciiiterior orecyliiidcr, L n l The projections cc on thc interior surface of of brick, ot' the shape shown in Figs. 8, Sl, and 13 of the drawings-that is, with ono projection yand one haltgioovc on each sido of it to one brick-by whichilie number ot' bricks required is reduced tooiie-halt'. The projections and the recesses or grooves are made circular y in shape. to avoid theanglcs and corners around Vand in which the orc accumulates whenin asoft or sticky condition; and the proiections can be uiadc more or less raking` or inclined from a straight line toward the centcrot thecylindcr,

to the direction in which thecylindcr is rotated, and in the former case the. cylinder can lie-rotatedfaster vwithout carrying the ore around with it.Y K f The ore-receiving chaniherfN N'is situated below thc discharging end 'ot' the furnace, or

the chute leading from the cylinder.- lt is divided into two halves or sections by the partition n, which is in line with thc center of the discharge ot' the ores from the c vliiideinso that the ores are separated and dividedinto two equal portions in the twochainbcis This arrangement is for allowing a portion only of the charge to he withdrawn from the chamber Iat mtime, (all ot' which has been retained for ille lengt-li ci" time the opposite chamber has been filling up,) and for retaining all of the of tiine after leaving the cylinder than could bc, done with a single ore-chamber, while the surfaces of both ot the charges in the chamber VN N are meanwhile constantly exposed tothe fdircct; contact land action of the heated air, gases, and 'Haines pussingi'i'oni the furnace, Vvand b v which means a more' perfect roasting `and chloridizing ot the ore is, iii-most cases, elected. l f

When necessary for the proper treatment or thorough reduction of seine descriptions of ores -so that the ores will be dropped sooner or re tained longer before'being dropped, according Y in proper position to take the roasted ores from v enlarged, as shown in Figs. l and 2, toadniit 85 the interior orc-cylinder, l, as well as ot' the 9o auxiliary inudie or cylinder 13', can be formed.-

ores in a heated' condition tor agreatcr'lcngth the ore-receiving chamber can be surrounded .on its sides andvbottoin by the passages O O,

connuunicatint,r withv the separating-chamber P or dust-chambers in snchtnanuer that the heated vapors and gases' from the furnace, in

passinginto thc receiviiig-clniniber with thel ores, will circulate around it in their passage through the dues r passages 0 0 to the dust or separating chambers, and thus aid to keep the contents'of the ore-receiving chamberin a. prol'ierly-heatcd condition.

'.lheI heat. in. the ore-chamber may be still further increased, when foundneces'sary, by the`employmcnt ot' the auxiliary fire-chauibe'r G', commui'iicating with the passages 0 O, and so combined with the ore-chamber and fines or passages() O and arranged as to supply a proper quantity o* additional degree of heatv to the surface ot' or around the ores.

The ore-receiving;l chamber N Nis also'made self-discharging, by having its bottoni con` strncted toinclinedownward to its discharge.- outlets, so that when the door ot' either chamber is opened the ores will discharge without any extra handling, and the chamber can also be made otauy desired size or depth, so

l as to retain the ores or expose them for any length of time necessary for them to be suliiing the tilner particles of ores that ma)- be. carried over'aud out of the furnace bythe draft, and'a discharge-door is also provided, through which to discharge the same.

The ore-is introduced into the. furnace b v the chute M vund Inufe B. it passes from such muftle lhrongh theinner cylinder, B,'pro gressiug' as the cylinder revolves, and is discharged at thel opposite end of the cylinder into the passage l', which conveys it to the orc-chanilwrs beneath. The products of combustion are generated upon the grate. Gin the 'furnace U, and trst enter the space between the two cylinders. After traversing,r the length of such space they enter the end ot' the inner cylinder, where the oresare first received, and then-pass through such inner cylinder in the lsaine direction as the ores are moved, and finally pass out of the inner cylinder through the chimney-tine I or,through the iue or passage l' into the ore-chambers.

Among the advantages of feeding,r and progressing the ores in the direction of the draft orin 'a direction not opposed to the draft from the tire-box, while they are-at the same time subjected to increasing degrees of heat, which 'beneficia-ting the oresis etected.

is accomplished in my improved furnace, arcthe following: All the ore passes' into and through the cylinder and is subjected tothe roasting process, thereby avoiding the neces-- sity and expense of providing an auxiliary f re at the receiving` end of the ore-cylinder toy roast the finer particles, which is required in' the case where the draft opposeszthe progress f of the ores. The finer particles are progressed`A more rapidly, and at the same time are roasted asperfcctly as the coarser particles, by which' the roasting,` capacity of the furuaceis very unich increased. The ore is kept supplied in the first stages of the roastingr process with purer air, and the gases of combustion, aswell as the gases genera-ted from the ores and other substances used for beneticiating the 0res, are

driven with the ores toward and=out`of't'he hotter cud of the cylinder, and through them the ore is kept constantly falling` or-showering when it is in the `proper conditio'nfand at the proper temperature to form combinations with the gases, as chlorides, &c., and thus nj great saving;` ofthe quantity of, salt or other substances introduced into the furnace for Having' thus fully described nl ifnvention', what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an ore-roasting furnace', the combination, with the interior ore-cylinder, B, and its exteriorsupporting` brick-lined cylinder, A, haw. iup; a tine-space between them for the 'passage of the draft and products ot combnstion,"0f

the tire-'chamber C. lire-back H, having,` 'Bites y l I', and chamber C', having ore-feed'chut'e M and tino K, vall constructed and arranged -substantially as described. and Afor the purposes set forth.

2. In a rotatiuacyliiider ore roasting or rel dncing' furnace, the combination, with the'orerco cylinder, of the hollow.. auxiliary cylinder B',vv i,

ofvunitorni or varying thickness, secured' to V and within tbe receiving end of the ore-cylnr der, for preventing au excess of 'heat at the pointA where the ores are introduced into the ore-cylinler, substantially as herein set forth.

3i In.. a rotating-cylinder ore-furiiace,"tlie combination, with the cylinders A B and iire chamber C, ofthe iire-baek H, having its face next the ore-cylinder B concaved andisolated from the side of the tire-chamhemexcept at the top and bottom, where it is supported by ywallsi i', and the cxitilnes 1 l, ope-nine,` out 'of such iiredmch, constructed and arranged st ,ibstantially as subscribed, and for the purpose specified.

4. In an ore-furnace, the combination, with' the ore-chamber N N, divided by a partition,

ot' the orc chute or passage for delivering. the

roasted ore into said chamber, terminating centrally above the said partition,substantially as described and shown.

5.' In ancre-furnace, the combination, with thc ore-receiving chamber N N, ofthe ues 0r passages 0 O under its bottom or sides,'to sup .the ore-receiving chamber N ply additional heat rto the charged from the furnace, constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown. 6. In n n. ore-furnace, the combination, with N, of the auxiliaryIre-chamber G', adapted to supply additional heat lto the surface of or aroundthe ores while insnchchamber, constructed and arrange-d substantially as described and shown. 7. In'n'ore-furnace, the combination, with the ore-chercher, ofa. separating-chamber, P,

intermediate vbetween seid ore-chamber and the exit for the products of combustion, pro-4A vided with two or more outlets at different e'le-4 rations, constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

58. The method of preventingthe escape of gses fromV the moving joints of furnaces consisting in maintaining externally at said joints anI air-pressure exceeding the pressure o'f the ore after being dis- ,frases within the furnace, substantially asfdescribed.

9J In '.L rotating-cylinder ore-furnace, the cylinder A, provided witha brick lining, and a legend, of plaster-of-paris placed between such lining,` and the cylinder, described and shown. l

10. In a.lrotatin,ig-cylinder ore-furnace, the combination of the two concentric cylinders A B, gradually,r increased in cross-section to' ward one end, so as to allow a muffle to be insubstantially as n serted into theiiiner cylindemstibstantially as described and shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oivn I hereunto setinyhand't-bis 6th dey of September, 1877. J AMES M. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

C. W. M. SMiTH, WILLIAM HARNEY 

